Minnesota briefs: Wetterling Center opens new office

The center, founded in 1990 by Jacob's parents, Patty and Jerry Wetterling, started in St. Joseph, Minn., where 11-year-old Jacob was abducted in 1989 by a masked man. Over the years, it has grown to provide more outreach programs, victim services and education on internet safety and has moved to the Twin Cities.

Last week, the organization moved to a larger office at 2021 E. Hennepin Av. in Minneapolis.

The center will host its second annual 5K run/walk in Jacob's honor next month. The Running HOME for Jacob 5K (HOME stands for "hope for our missing and exploited") will take place Oct. 21 at Lake Phalen in St. Paul.

Oct. 22 marks the 28th anniversary of Jacob's disappearance. His remains were found in 2016 on a farm near Paynesville, Minn., after Danny Heinrich, long a person of interest in the case, confessed to killing the boy.

KELLY SMITH

The Duluth City Council last week approved five vacation home applications, reaching its self-imposed cap of 60 units. The cap was set to prevent vacation housing from taking over city neighborhoods.

Residents have expressed concerns that too many vacation housing units could be a disruption.

Several City Council members have expressed an interest in raising the limit as Duluth continues to make itself an attractive tourist destination.

Mark Brunswick

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has imposed a quarantine limiting the movement of ash trees and limbs as well as hardwood firewood from Martin County after several emerald ash borer beetles were found in a trap northeast of the city of Welcome.

Emerald ash borer larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk.

The Agriculture Department said Minnesota is highly susceptible to the destruction caused by the invasive insect, with 1 billion ash trees — the most of any state. The quarantine will remain in effect until it is withdrawn. Anyone violating the regulations could be subject to civil penalties up to $7,500 per day of violation or misdemeanor criminal penalties.

Comments also can be made at the open house or by contacting Kimberly Thielen Cremers, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 625 Robert Street N., St. Paul, Minn., 55155 or e-mail at kimberly.tcremers@state.mn.us or by FAX at 651-201-6108.